Dry-ore-washing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. M. DENNEN, W. G. DUBOIS, O. G. GEE, 85 P. C. PET'TIGROVE.

Dry Ore Washing Machine. No. 234,255. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFEICE.

AUGUSTUS M. DENNEN, WILLIAM G. DUBOIS, CORNELIUS (J. GEE, AND FRANK O. PETTIGROVE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

DRY-ORE-WASHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,255, dated November 9, 1880. Application filed January 31, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUSTUS M. DEN- NEN, WILLIAM G. DUBoIs, CORNELIUS C. GEE, and FRANK O. PETTIGROVE, of Oakland, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented a Dry-Washing Machine for Auriferous Earth; and We hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in that class of gold-savin g appliances in which the auriferous earth is treated without the use of water, and commonly known as dry-washers, and it consists in a peculiar combination of sieves and pulverizers with a fan-blower, and in certain details of construction, whereby the particles of gold are separated from the earth in which they are found, as is more fully described in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a transverse section.

Let A represent the frame upon which the sieves, &c., are mounted. Upon the upper rear end is mounted a hopper, B, with an adjustable bottom, 0. This adjustable bottom 0 inclines toward the back, so that the material will be directed onto the upper end of said sieves. These sieves D are set on an incline, and receive a reciprocating motion from a bell-crank, a, and rod I), connected with an eccentric crank-pulley, E, this, in turn, receiving a rotary motion by means of a belt conmeeting with a pulley on the driving-shaft F, as shown.

The lower end of the screen may be turned up, as shown at c, to form a sort of riffle to catch nuggets of gold and heavier particles, and its peculiar shape renders it very effective in stopping and retaining the gold without other aid.

Immediately under the upper end of the screen D is a plate or inclosed diaphragm, Gr, which directs the coarser lumps down to the pulverizing-rollers H. These pulverizing-rollers have teeth It passing between each other as the rollers are rotated in opposite directions, and the large lumps of earth are thus broken up and pulverized before falling onto the lower screens, K.

The coarser pieces of rock and debris, too large to pass through the meshes of the screen D, are gradually brought down to the lower end of said screen by the incline and the endshake motion, and are there discharged.

Gear or friction wheels at d on the shaft F convey motion from the shaft of one pulverizing-roller to the other, so they are rotated in opposite directions.

A box, J, is suspended by hangers j under the pulverizing-rollers, and in this box are placed two or more inclined screens, K L, the upper one, K, being of coarser mesh than the lower. This upper screen is preferably of punched metal, thepunches being from below upward, so that there will be little ridges around the holes, and the riftle e at the lower end of the screen will keep the gold from passing over the screen, while it acts in the same manner as the one at c for a keeper or retainer.

The finer particles which pass through will fall onto the lower screen, L, which has a riffle, l, and all that passes through this drops onto a bed, M, which is inclined in the opposite direction from the screens, or fall toward the fan-blower N, as shown, and is provided with ariffle, n, at its lower end. The riffles or curved retaining-dams c e l n are all designed by their peculiar shape to act very effectively to catch and hold any particles of gold and sulphurets which may reach these points upon either of the screens or plates.

The fan-blower N is mounted on the lower rear end of the frame under the hopper. Its outlet enters the box J just over the lower edge of the bed M and under the upper edge of the lower screen, L, as shown.

The box J, carrying the screens K L and bottom M, has both a lateral and an end-shake motion combined. A shaft, 0, connected by belt with the driving-shaft F, carries an eccentrio crank-pulley, Q, which has a rod, q, connected with a bell-crank, 1%, this bell -crank also being pivoted to the first corner of the box J and giving a lateral swing to it.

On the same shaft 0 is placed a square block or cam, S, and as the shaft is rotated this cam or block imparts an end shake to the box J from the rear. For each lateral motion the box, with its sieves, is moved longitudinally several times, thus giving a very peculiar vibratory motion to the sieves, which is very effective in separating the gold from the earth.

When the auriferous earth is poured into the hopper it passes through the opening at the rear end and falls onto the coarse sieve D, and the lamps which will pass its meshes fall on plate or diaphragm G, which directs it to the pnlverizers. The rocks, &c., pass off of the screen on account of its end shake and its incline. That portion of the material passing through is pulverized and falls onto the screen K, then onto the screen L, and then onto the bed M. The blast of air furnished by the blower comes in underthese screens and moves in a contrary direction to the downwardly-flowing dirt and dust, separating the lighter portions and blowing them out of the front of the screens, while the heavier and more valuable portions are caught and saved.

The peculiar combined lateral and end-shake motion imparted to the screens K L, by the means described, thoroughly spreads the earth over the screens and keeps it in such a loose and agitated state that the sulphurets and pieces of gold will settle by gravity through the pulverized dust, and as this dust accumulates and tries to pass through the screenopenings it is blown away by the upward current from the blower, the operation being continuous.

The motion of these screens is peculiar, as they move backward and forward two or more times for each lateral shake, which most effectually separates the material upon them. Being all confined within the box J, no air from the fan-blast can escape, except by passing up through the meshes of said screen, and this air is continually passing up against the downwardly-flowing auriferous dust.

In this way we are enabled to treat successfully auriferous earth of all kinds without the use of water, and tracts of gold-bearing soil remote from water-supply may be utilized.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a dry-ore separator, the screen D, provided at its lower end with a pocket, 0, and the eccentric E and pitman b to give an end shake, and the screens K L, provided with pockets 0 e, bell-crank lever B, pitman q, eccentric Q, and cam S, to give a simultaneous side and end shake, in combination with a set of intermediate disintegrating-heaters, H, and a blast-fan, N, all constructed, arranged, and operated as set forth.

ln witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

AUGUSTUS M. DENNEN. WILLIAM C. DUBOIS. CORNELIUS C. GEE. FRANK G. PETTIGROVE. Witnesses S. H. NoURsE, FRANK A. BROOKS. 

